Albert Oram, Baron Oram

Albert Edward Oram, Baron Oram (13 August 1913 – 5 September 1999) was a Co-operative and Labour politician in the United Kingdom.

Oram, the son of the blacksmith who made the beautiful railings around Chichester cathedral, was educated at Brighton, Hove and Sussex Grammar School and the London School of Economics. He became a teacher. In the Second World War he was initially recognised as a conscientious objector, but voluntarily renounced his exemption to join the army. He served in the Royal Artillery and landed in Normandy three days after D-Day, continuing on the campaign into Germany. After the war he briefly returned to teaching before moving in 1946 to work for the Co-operative Party as Research Officer. He advocated consumer welfare and democratising industrial relations, writing a series of publications including The People's Industry.

He was Parliamentary Secretary for Overseas Development 1964 to 1969 under Barbara Castle, Anthony Greenwood, Arthur Bottomley and his Parliamentary neighbour in East Ham, Reg Prentice; and a Government Whip 1976 to 1978 in the House of Lords. He accompanied the Prime Minister (Harold Wilson) on trips to Africa, including unsuccessful negotiations with Ian Smith after Rhodesia's Unilateral Declaration of Independence in 1965. He took a particular interest in promoting education in Africa, leading the UK Delegation to UNESCO and increasing resources for teacher training. He chaired the Boards of the Brighton Co-operative Society and of the League of Sussex Downsmen. He was a patron of Humanists UK until his death in 1999.